Liquid handling mechanism



Feb. 16, 1937. chw. READE ET AL LIQUID HANDLING MECHANISM 5 Sheet s-Sheet 1 Original Filed Nov. 11, 1931 C. W. READE ET AL LIQUID HANDLING MECHANISM Feb. 16, 1937.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Nov. 11, 1931 Feb. 16, 1937. c. w. READE ET AL LIQUID HANDLI NG MECHANISM Original Filed Nov. 11. 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 jvwemtow I: I II I Feb. 16, 1937. c. w. R EADE ET AL LIQUID HANDLING MECHANISM Original Filed Nov. 11, 1931 5 Sheets$heet 4 Feb. 16, 1937. c. w. READE ET AL LIQUID HANDLING MECHANISM Original Filed N v. 11. 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 5 9 H 9 3 1 3 W J 0 a 7 3 w 2 WW .1. Z 3 4. l V/ w fl/ v Patented Feb. 16, 1937 LIQUID HANDLING MECHANISM Carleton W. Reade and Henry T. Scott, Toledo, Ohio, assignors to The American Paper Bottle Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 11, 1931, Serial No. 574,296 Renewed July 27, 1936 18 Claims.

This invention relates to separating bulk material into predetermined minor quantities. This invention has utility when incorporated in filling equipment, especially for measuring 5 liquids.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, with parts broken away, of an embodiment of the invention in apparatus for measuring definite quantities of liquid from a 10 bulk supply, as of milk, fruit juices, etc.,'and delivering such into containers;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 1 from the supply or container receiving side thereof;

5 Fig. 3 is a section on the line IIL-III, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow, and show-, ing the valves in position for the liquid supply to flow into the measuring chamber;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line IVIV, Fig. 2,

20 showing the piston and cylinder device in liquid discharging position as to the valve therefrom;

' Fig. 5 is a section on the line V-V, Fig. 4, with a portion broken away to show details of the sealing;

25 -Fig. 6 is a detail view of a substitute piston abutment or cylinder head for lesser measurement effect;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line VIIVII, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow;

30 Fig. 8 is a section on the line VIII-VIII, Fig. 2,

showing the yieldable transmission connection;

Fig. 9 is a section on the line IX-IX, Fig. 3;

Fig. 10 is a developed view of the piston operis transmission 9 to gearing l operating conveyor 45 ll of-the endless type having thereon blocks or flights 12. The upper reach ofthis conveyor ll rides along on I-beam ll '(Fig. 2) as a support injthe region of the carrier or bridge 4. Guide bars l4, it, along the sides oithis upper-reach of the conveyor ll, serve to locate and keep in.

position on the conveyor containers It as an endless series in their intermittent travel empty U119 der the bridge 4, there to be charged with a predetermined quantity of liquid. as The shaft 8,111 the vicinity-of, thebridge 4,11

thereon block l'l coacting with fork I8 of upwardly extending rod l9. Fixed on this rod I9 adjacent the fork I8 is roller 20 coacting with groove 2| in cam 22 fixed for rotation with the shaft 8. The upwardly extending rod l9 (Fig. 8 has fixed thereon collar 23 against which abuts helical compression spring 24 extending to sleeve or block 25, which on its opposite side is engaged by a second helical compression. spring 26. The

compression of these springs is adiusted bynuts 21 on the threaded terminal portion of this rod [9. Bolts 28 mount rollers or bushings 29 for free v rotation on studs 30 of the sleeve 25. Forks 3| of short arm 32 of lever having long arms 33, co-

act with the rollers or-bushings 29 as this leveris rocked on its fulcrum 34 (Figs. 1, 2) mounted in bracket 35 rising from the carrier 4. Groove 36 adjacent the bracket 35 in a protruding end of the fulcrum pin 34 is engaged by fork 31 of plate 38 having pivotal connection by bolt 39 with the bracket 35. A 'quick detachable connection is thus provided at this fulcrum for the lever or walking beam 32, 33, while removal of' the bolts 28, permits the rollers 29 to clear. the forks 3|. Cross rod 36' is a handle for permitting ready withdrawal of the pin 34. a

For twin filler operation, or for handling more than one measuringchamber, the lever may have more than one branch or arm 33; The showing herein is a Y-form for two fillers in sequence along the conveyor II-. The free ends of the arms 33 are forked. Each arm 40 of the fork has a notch or slot 4| into which may be thrust a pin 42 held by screw 43 with red 41 and protruding to be engaged by notches 44 in plates 45 pivotally mounted by bolts 46 to swing at an angle to the notches 4|, thereby completing holding bearings in a quick detachable assembly for the pin -42.

From the pin 42 there is downwardly extending piston rod 41 to pivotal connection 48 with piston 49 having upwardly extending rim or abutment it and downwardly extending tapered terminal active face portion ii. The piston rod extends thru opening 52 in ring 53 having depending skirt or abutment opposing the piston abutment in limiting the upward travel of the piston 4! in cylinder 54. The ring 53 has externally threaded portion '55 coacting with-internally threaded ring 60 or cylinder head member 52 (Figs. 4, 5). The oflicial sealer may determine the exact lift travel which the piston 49 is to have in the cylinder 54 for the predetermined volume, whether liter, pint, orother measure, or fractionthereof. At-such 55 alignment with the cylinder 54.

adjustment thru tapped hole 51 in the member 55, a drilling tool is used to form seat 58 in the ring 53. The sealer may then locate bolt' 59 in the hole 51 and with seal 68 connect the bolt 59 with bolt 6| in tapped hole 62. The accuracy of this adjustment as fixed need not be disturbed, even upon occasion to remove the piston 49 from the cylinder 54. Such removal is quickly possible, for lugs 63 on the cylinder 54 have pins 64 thru eyes 65 of bolts 66 thus hinged to swing upwardly between prongs 61 of the member 56 and there have the upwardly protruding termini engaged by wing .nuts 68. These wing nuts 68 may be readily backed off from head clamping position, for the removal of this cylinder head. The plates 45 at the lever arm 33, may swing to release the pin 42 so that the piston 49 and its rod 41 are disconnected from the unit.

Set screws 69 in bosses 18 anchor legs or rods 1| upwardly extending into sockets 12 and there anchored by set screws 13. Boss 14 on the carrier 4 provides seat for third leg 15 to socket 16. These sockets 12, 18, are fixed with the underside of tank 11 as a reserve or bulk liquid supply reservoir, which may be replenished by flow thereinto from supply pipe 18. From this tank 11 there is outlet fitting 18 connected by .union 88 to down pipe 8|, instead of having such pipe 8| connected by the union 88 directly with the pipe 18. .By having this reserve tank 11 adjacent the filler devices, there is opportunity for checking as the available bulk quantity is depleted. A down pipe 8| extends to each filler unit.

The down pipe 8| has union 82 providing connection to three-way valve 83. Outward from the unit this valve 83 has connection by-union 84 to T- fitting 85 having terminal cap 86. Drain pipe 81 is downward from the fitting'85. Toward the unit from the valve 83 there is union 88 connecting the liquid supply with passage 88 in housing 88. The housing 88 is connected by bolts 9I to bracket 92 (Fig. 9) assembled by bolts 83 with the carrier 4. Bolts 94' connected the iylinder 54 with the valve housing-88 (Figs.

The valve housing 98 has a sleeve portion 93 to which the passage 88 extends, as away from In alignment with the cylinder 54, the housing 98 has cylinder head tapered section 94 as a cylinder discharge port to the sleeve 93. Inalignment below this tapered section 84, is outlet port 85 from the sleeve to spill the measured liquid from the filler for flow directly into a container I6, whether such be a rectangular paper bottle as shown, or other container, say of metal or glass. In the sleeve 83 (Figs. 2, 3) is a reciprocable valve member or plug 86, having outlet port 91 for registry between the section 84 and the port 85, and normally filled inlet port 88 from the passage 88 to communicate with the section 84.

The plug valve 96 has its travel limited to reciprocation and in a definite, range for two terminal positions. The plug 86 may not rock in the sleeve 83, for the sleeve 83 has therein inwardly projecting in 88 coacting in groove or .way I88 as a sp ne. The positioning of the plug is by pushing first from one end and then from the other in alternately locating the plug fora filling position as to the cylinder 54 or measuring chamber, and then for such chamber to have its measured quantity spill therefrom as the supply is cut off.

Fixedly mountedon the shaft 8 Q8989? the cam 22, which is a face or radial cam, is valve control cam I8Ihaving in its cylindrical surface circumferential groove I82 with which coacts roller I83 on horizontally oscillatable arm I84 fixed with vertically extending fulcrum pin I mounted in bracket I86. This bracket I86 is anchored by bolts I81 with the member 2. The pin as protruding from the upper side of the bracket I86 has mounted fixedly thereon arm' I88 connected by link I89 with crosshead H8 (Figs. 3, 18). Bolts III assemble the crosshead I'I8 with rods H2 reciprocable in eyes or guide lugs H3 extending from the housing 88. The crosshead H8 is thus located against end H4 of the plug 96 for thrusting the plug 96 from register position of the port 98 whereby filling of the chamber 54 has been eifected, to register position for the port 81 between the cylinder 54 and the outlet port 95 for the interval of positive discharge of the accurately measured quantity of liquid from the chamber 54 into a container I6.

The rod H2 is parallel to the plug 96 andextends therebeyondremote from the crosshead I I8 where torsion spring H5 from the rod H2 extends to engage sleeve H6 having arm II1 (Figs. 3, '7) therefrom normally held by said spring against pin H8 in end H9 of the plug 86 away from the end H4. Normal recover movement of the crosshead H8 pulls the rods I I2 therewith. In this movement the arms II1 push theplugs 96 from registering at discharge position to registering at filling position from the cylinder 54.

The cycles for operations in the valve movements and for the piston travels are established and maintained positively as to general synchronism and sequence, due to a common drive from the shaft 8. The cam I8I (Fig. 11) at the portion I28 is a period of rest or quiet or dwell at section I2I of the cam 22 for the piston. The pushes for the plug valves are positive, while the piston control is yieldable due to the springs 24, 26. The dwell, say for about 29 as to the circumference of the cam, is an insurance for yieldable seating of the piston49 taper portion 5| into .taper head 94 even to position abutting the plug 96 about the port 91. This means that the measured quantity ofliquid is not waited upon for a gravity flow-oil, but is pumped or pushed out at the adjusted action for the yielding of the springs 24, 26, to insure evacuation of the cylinder 54 at the speed of operation, which in practice under the disclosure is twenty-three fillings of pints per minute.

While the piston 48 is still seated against the plug 96, and so held by cam portion I22 (Fig. 18) of the cam 22, the cam. I8I has portion I23 e'ffective to shift the .plug 96 so that the port 81 is moved away from registry between the cylinder 54 and the post 95, and the port 88 is in register between the passage 89 and. the

cylinder 54. Portion I24 of the cam I8I then holds the plug 96 in such-position, while cam portion I25 of the cam 22 efiects ascent of the piston 49 with. the springs 24, 26, as a yieldable transmission to effect insured contact of piston abutment 58 with stop abutment I26 (Fig. 4). This definite displacement travel to the sealers determined'position efiects suction inflow of the liquid under head for fully filling such measuring chamber at a rapid rate for piston travel.

Portion I21 may be a 29 catch-up for the piston to become quiet or have a'dwell, with the valve having rest portion I28 at'the same interval. During portion I28 the cam 22 holds the piston for the full capacity position of the chamber 54, while the cam I5I has portion I30 shift the valve 98 to cut off supply from the pipe BI, and connect discharge port 95 with the cylinder 54. a

The pumping action or suction intake for filling the measuring chamber or cylinder 54 is one to accelerate the speed of possible machine or filler operation, instead of depending upon gravity I flow alone. Likewise there is even more positive flow-off or discharge, permitted by the ample cross-section ports relative to the volume of material being handled per measured unit. The fully charged measuring chamber 54 is in open or spill positionfor the plug 96 as held by cam portion I3I and the cam 22 is now effective thru portion I32 to cause the piston 49 to descend into abutting relation with the plug 96 about the port 91 in thus evacuating the cylinder 54. The dwell portion I2I of the cam 22 is at the completion of this filler operation for a container I6, before there is a repetition of the cycle. The gearing I preserves a sequence for the conveyor I I to step up the container series during the filling interval for the chamber 54.

In the event a container I6 be missed by the charging mechanism for the conveyor I I, there is no occasion to slop a charge from the filler unit, for such is automatically rendered inactive. Bracket I33 (Fig. 2) is mounted on the bar I to position arm I34 splined on upwardly extend ing rod I35 having upper bracket connection I36 to the frame or bracket 92. Adjacent thereto, arm II! from therod I35 extends to slide I38 mounted by bracket I39 to be carried by the bridge 4. This bracket I39 carries sleeve I40 for the slide or plunger I38. Cut out portion I from this sleeve allows pin or roller I42 to protrude' for engaging guide or are projection I43 from the sleeve 6. Helical tension spring I44 between the slide I38 and the bracket I39 serves as yieldable means to maintain the arm I34 to ride against a container I6. As a container I6 is missed, the arm I34 swings over the conveyor andthe roller pin I42 acts in the recover travel of the sleeve II6 away from the plug end II9 to rock the arm I I1 away therefrom. Thus, when the pull stroke for shifting the plug 95 to supply position is to occur, the arm III slides alongside and the plug 96 is, left at the spill position.

When the filler units are in-multiple, the automatic cut out for the filler may respond thereto. In-fact with multiple fillers, less than all may be used, by anchoring the unused cut outin the trip position, or even allowing the operation of the conveyor to compensate therefor, if the step of the conveyor be not adjusted to the reduced rate. In some operations, there may be fractional fillings of the container, when the conveyor may operate at steps for the portion of one measuring to be deposited upon the quantity of a preceding measuring of the same or a different substance, thus building up the charge of the container.

An additional arm I34 (Fig. 7) is employed in the twin unit installation. This arm I34, at the bracket I33, is on rod I45, extending upward not so high as the rod I35. Bearing I46 for then}:- per end of the rod I45 is in the housing 90, ad-

jacent which bearing, the rod I45 has arm I41- from which extends link I48 to the lower extremity of lever I49 having its fulcrum bearing' I50 in bracket I5I (Figs. 1, 2) mounted on the frame I adjacent the carrier 4. The upper end of this lever I49 has'loose connection I52 with slidel53 similar to the slide I38 but disposed oppositely shown in inoperative position.

position above the rod H2 and acts similarly to the roller I 42 on the slide I38 for effecting cut out of the pushing operation of the arm II! on the companion plug valve 96.

In the general operation of the installation of this disclosure, supply of containers I6 on the conveyor II, is stepped along, say a container distance in the twin filling. The motor 5 is op erating continuouslyto effect not only the intermittent travel of the conveyor II,but two cycles of operation for the filling operations. Under these circumstances, it is in order not only to provide the supply of containers to receive the measured .quantities or chargesybut a supply of the bulk material, as grapefruit juice, milk, or other substance. The supply pipe 8| is a feed line source for the bulk material.

The shaft 8 has a continuous rotation at a reduced speed from the motor 5. As heretofore suggested, a speed adopted with success in practice has been above 20 R. P. M. It has been suggested that 29 has been used for the dwell intervals; In such allotment, 53 has been used for the plug valve transit for shiftingfrom filling to discharge and for shifting from discharge to filling position. This leaves an interval of. 98 for the piston suction or intakestroke and a like interval for the piston to evacuatethe cylinder 54.

With the cam 22 effective to hold the piston '49 at the bottom or empty cylinder position, the cam IOI may shift the plug valve 96, due to the cam portion I23, for moving the port 91 away from the cylinder 54 and connecting the passage 89 by way of the port 98 to the cylinder 54. The cam 22 then has its portion I25 effect the up or suction stroke for the piston 49. After the dwel and while the piston is still at the position for the cylinder 54 to remain fully charged, there is 54. After a dwell, the cycle of operations may be repeated. The conveyor II is at rest with flights I2 thereon locating containers I6 at charge receiving position during the interval of portions I30, I3I, I20, of the cam IN. The conveyor shifting may occur during a fraction of the measuring chamber filling operation.

While there may be the automatic cut-out for the filling, for one or more of the fillers as suggested, tying of an arm or cut out devicefor the non-filling may' be manually effected by shifting the three-way valve 83 to .cut off flow from the pipe 8I to the passage 89. Trigger I54 maybe shifted against the arm or arms I34 to hold such from riding against the containers on the conveyor.

The general set-up as disclosed is one especially adapted for ready and thoro cleansing. This means that change-over fnay be made from one product or substance, to a markedly different substance, with no cause for contamination.

Such makes it possible to operate with colored substances with no carry-over from one to the sections, permit quick washing out against any unsanitary condition arising. The plug valves 96 are easily removed, for by hand the torsion spring 5 may be overcome, to locate the arm I I! out of the way so that the plug 96 may be pulled out of its sleeve and washed, and attention given the passages to and from such sleeve. The ready taking-out of the piston from the cylinder 54 has been heretofore pointed out.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A measuring apparatus embodying a fixed I cylinder provided --.with a tapered head havin a port, a piston for the cylinder having a complementary tapered portion for seating in the cylinder tapered head, a valve for the port, and a drive for the piston and valve including yieldable transmission means for urging the piston to engage the valve at said port.

2. A measuring apparatus including a piston, a cylinder, a slide-way adjacent the cylinder, and an intake and outlet valve reciprocable in the slide-way and in direct communication with the cylinder, said piston as operable in the cylinder abutting said valve.

3. A piston and cylinder measuring apparatus, a guideway adjacent the cylinder, a valve in said way and having an intakeport and an additional outlet port, and an actuator for positioning the valve to be abutted by the piston from outlet port registry at the cylinder to intake port registry and maintaining at all times one direction of flow as to the cylinder for each of said ports.

4. A liquid measuring apparatus embodying a cylinder, a piston, a guide-way adjacent the cylinder and having three ports, a plug in the way,

.said plug having two transverse ports, push means forsIiding' the plug in one directionlengthwise of the way to locate one of the ports of the plug for register with two of the ports of the way and positively rendering inactive the third port of the way and the second port of the plug with the piston at one position relatively to the cylinder, and reversely acting push means for the plug to retain one of the formerly active ports of the way now to be in communication thru what was the inactive port of the plug with said third port of the way with the piston at a different position relatively to the cylinder.

5. A liquid measuring apparatus valve embody ing a sleeve, a plug in the sleeve, and push means for oppositely reciprocating the plug, said means including a plug abutting member manually shiftable transversely of" the direction of the push means reciprocation to clear the plug for plug removal from the sleeve.

6. In a mechanism for filling containers, in combination, a measuring cylinder having a port for the introduction and discharge or material, said cylinder having spaced stops for limiting the reciprocatory movement of a pistonpositioned in said'cylinder between the stops, and

a device for actuating the piston to have contact with said stops alternately, which device includes resilient means for cushioning the impact of said piston, against said stops, respectively.

'7. The combination set forth in claim 6 in which means is provided whereby one of said stops may be adJusted from without the cylinderto vary the length of the piston'istroke.

8. The combination set forth in claim 6 in which a valve is positioned adjacent said port to control the inflow and outflow of material,

which said actuating device includes a reciprocable member having a sleeve slidably mounted thereon, resilient means opposing sliding movement of the sleeve on said member, and means connectingthe sleeve and piston.

10. A measuring cylinder having a common inlet and outlet port for fluids to be measured and dispensed, a valve member movably mounted adjacent said port and having two ducts therein, either of which may be brought into communication with said port, and mechanism for moving said valve including an element for moving the valve member in one direction and a second element for moving the valve member in the opposite direction, one of said elements being adapted to be rendered inoperative to move the valve.

11. The combination set forth in claim 10 in which the valve member is reciprocable in a straight line path and the said elements engage the ends thereof.

12. The combination set forth in claim 10 in which the valve member is reciprocable in a straight line path and one of said elements is adapted to swing in a plane transverse to said path into and out of the same.

13. The combination with a measuring and dispensing vessel having a discharge port and a valve member movably mounted adjacent said port for controlling the escape of liquids therefrom, means adapted to be positioned to engage the valve to move said valve to open the port or to be removed from valve engaging position, a member adjacent the port adapted to be moved by emplacement of a vessel in position to receive liquid discharged from said port, and mechanism connecting said member and means whereby the means is operatively connected to the valve only when said member is actuated, said means including a cam and said mechanism including a cam operating element which is removed from the path of the cam when said member is actuated.

14. A volume measuring apparatus embodying a series of measuring chambers, a conveyor adapted to transport means for receiving charges from the chamber in sequence, a drive for the conveyor having measuring efiecting connections to the chambers, and selective cut out means having connections to defeat advance filling of a chamber independently of disturbing the drive for the conveyor.

15. A volume'measuring apparatus embodying a measuring chamber, a longitudinally slidable control valve for the chamber, a conveyor for containers to receive charges from the chamber, a drive for the conveyor having measuring effecting connections to the chamber, automatic cut-out means to defeat advance filling of the chamber for measuring delivery independently of disturbing the drive for the conveyor, and additional manually operable means rendering.

mined periods of valve rest between said reciprocations. J

17. Liquid measuring apparatus embodying a piston and cylinder device, a drive therefor, a rod for the piston, and quick disconnection means for the piston and rod from the drive and cylinder comprising a lever, a. hinge pin, seat means therefor, and a latch for retaining the pin in said seat and as disconnected, said lever being swing-' able clear of the rod to permit ready removal of the piston from the cylinder.

18. A liquid measuring apparatus valve embodying a sleeve providing a guide-way, a ported plug reciprocable lengthwise in the sleeve, and independently movable push means in addition to the plug and movable thereagainst in the direction of the plug reciprocation in said sleeve for positioning the plug at a plurality of positions in the sleeve.

' CARLETON W. READE;

HENRY T. SCO'I'I. 

